A habitat suitability index (HSI) model for a target fish (greater redhorse) and macroinvertebrate (stonefly) species was developed along with a Remotely-Sensed Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (RS-QHEI) to determine the restoration success of the Saint John Dam removal for the Sandusky River, Ohio. Two separate habitat models were created for pre- and post-dam removal scenarios, one in Excel and the other in ArcGIS ® (ESRI). Each model produced similar results of habitat suitability polygon layers either manually (Excel) or programmatically (ArcGIS ®). The results of each model indicate a habitat improvement for both species following dam removal that was attributed to a drop in water level.
The RS-QHEI used a digital aerial photograph and a satellite image to quantitatively predict three of the six original metrics of the field based Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI). Output from the procedure was compared to nine field-based QHEI scores to determine the effectiveness of the procedure and applicability to riverine systems. No statistical differences in the field based QHEI scores and the RSQHEI of this model were detected. The RS-QHEI scores were lower than the field based method and were not linearly correlated (R2 = 0.1425). Both indices indicated improvement of the physical habitat one year after the dam removal. Therefore, the RSQHEI can be viewed as a more quantitative tool for understanding larger scale attribute changes in river systems. The RS-QHEI provides a fast and inexpensive procedure for monitoring restoration projects over many years to determine if restoration methods, such as dam removal, meet both short-term and long-term goals.